


a conversation, a promise

by writerforlife



Category: The Society (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst, Gen, M/M, becca and grizz have a heart to heart, communication makes the world go 'round
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-06-27 22:20:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19798936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writerforlife/pseuds/writerforlife
Summary: Grizz and Becca finally talk about the place they occupy in Sam's life, and Grizz realizes why Campbell is someone to be feared.





	a conversation, a promise

**Author's Note:**

> I'm working on something longer and more creative for this fandom, but I needed a break to just write tropes that were interesting for me -- I hope others enjoy!!

Grizz likes being in bed with Sam. 

It’s a simple thing to like and not nearly eloquent as eloquent, but he can’t think of a better way to describe it. He likes it. The sex is great, of course, but just relaxing with Sam, nose to nose so they can sign, is more amazing than he could’ve imagined. They talk. Sam teaches him sign language. They’re an extraordinarily  _ ordinary _ couple, given the circumstances. 

And the circumstances, he thinks, are fucking  _ insane.  _ They’re trapped in a parallel universe with no way to get home, his secret boyfriend’s psychopath boyfriend is in  _ charge  _ of the parallel universe and kidnapped the previous leaders, and they’re running out of food. On top of that, his boyfriend fathered a baby and lives with his best-friend-slash-baby-mama, and to spend time with said boyfriend, he sneaks into the house at night and back out in the morning, all through the window. Life, Grizz thinks, throws some serious curveballs—so serious that he’s thinking in baseball rather than football metaphors. When he played baseball as a kid, though, he had a mean swing. He can hit curveballs.

“Earth to Grizz.” Sam taps the side of his face. “You with me?”

“Just thinking,” Grizz signs. 

“That’s dangerous.”

“I know, right. You see the smoke.” 

Sam chuckles. “Wanna know what I was thinking about?”

“Dying to.”

“I wish I’d known you better in high school. Even if we weren’t together…” He smiles to himself. “I always knew you were smart, but I also thought you were fucking dumb because of Clark and Jason. Sometimes Luke, although I like Helena.”

“They’re not—” Grizz usually finishes that sentence with  _ that bad _ , but given the current state of New Ham, he doesn’t feel compelled to defend their honor. “Yeah. I wish I’d known you, too. I didn’t think you were an idiot, though.”

Sam’s grin widens. “You thought I was cute.”

“I did, yeah.” He kisses Sam’s knuckles. “Hey, uh, I was thinking. It was just a thought, but, um, I really want to tell somebody. About us. It doesn’t have to be everyone. Just…” Grizz stops. Sam’s face is already clouded. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Sam signs. “I want to tell someone. Becca, of course. I want  _ you _ to be able to tell someone. She’s… there’s Eden right now. It’s only been a few weeks. I don’t want her to think that I’m not… I’m not there for her. Because I promised. In a few more weeks, I want to tell her. I want it so,  _ so  _ much.”

“It’s okay.” They’re quiet for a few minutes.”

“Campbell, too,” Sam eventually signs. “I don’t think you understand how dangerous he is. If he finds out about you… do you know what he’d do? You don’t.”

“Sam—”

“Wanna know what I think? He’d kill you. I really think he would.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it. We don’t have to talk about it tonight. I just, uh, feel weird that I’m sneaking into Becca’s house every night without her knowing.”

“ _ And  _ deflowering her baby daddy. The shame.” 

Grizz can’t help but laugh. It feels ridiculous, to laugh, with the political situation in New Ham what it is, but he does it anyways. People who don’t agree with Harry and Lexie are looking to him for solutions. He hears them out, but he isn’t sure what he could do against Harry, Lexie, Campbell, and the entire Guard. Mostly, he just wants to keep Sam safe. 

They talk for awhile, kiss for awhile longer, until Sam yawns. Grizz holds him as he falls asleep, listening for the subtleties in his breathing, smiling when Sam turns his nose into Grizz’s collarbone. Grizz sinks back against the pillow, keeping Sam close.

For a moment, he believes this could last forever. 

#

Sam’s still sleeping when Grizz wakes up. Grizz smiles to himself and brushes Sam’s hair back from his face; he stirs in his sleep, inching closer to Grizz.

“Sorry,” Grizz murmurs, even though he knows Sam can’t hear him. “I really do want to stay.” It’s the truth. How easy it would be, he thinks, to leave his clothes strewn over the floor and stay in bed until Sam wakes up. But he presses a kiss to Sam’s forehead, steps out of bed, and dresses. He won’t stay—not today, at least.

He slings one leg out the window, then ducks his head out, and after pulling the other leg through, leaps to the ground. He dusts off his shirt and sighs. Then, he turns to see a figure standing on the sidewalk, watching. 

“Good morning,” Becca says. 

“Uh.” Grizz glances behind him at the open window and contemplates climbing back through. “Fuck.” 

Becca narrows her eyes, pointing to Eden, who cooed happily from the stroller. “Don’t climb back through. I can see it in your eyes. Just… want to come for a walk with me?” 

He nods, unable to think of anything to say that isn’t  _ uh  _ or  _ fuck.  _ As he falls into step next to Becca, he tries to think of plausible reasons as to why he was climbing out of Sam’s window at eight in the morning. Maybe he just fell asleep on Sam’s floor. Maybe the Guard invaded his house. Maybe—

“So,” Becca says. “How long have you been sleeping with Sam?”

Grizz swallows hard. “I—”

“Don’t bullshit me.” She gasps and reaches down to squeeze Eden’s hand. “Don’t listen to Mommy’s bad words, baby.” She glances back to Grizz. “So how long?” 

“Since, uh, Thanksgiving. We’d been talking before that, but it was Thanksgiving.”

“Hmm.” She nods to herself. “I can’t believe he didn’t tell me.”

“Becca, he—”

“He tells me everything. Don’t worry, I’m not mad. Not really.” Her lower lip wobbles, though, so fast that he almost misses it.

“He didn’t want to worry you, with the baby and all. I know you were already having problems and on bed rest. You didn’t need to know that the father was sleeping with someone.”

Becca furrows her brow. “The father?”

“Yeah, uh… Sam?”

“He didn’t tell you.” A note of wonder creeps into her voice. “Shit, he really didn’t say anything, and at the hospital— _ shit _ .”

“Tell me what?”

Becca stops walking. “Grizz. Sam and I never slept together. I found out I was pregnant right before prom, and I didn’t want to be the girl who… who… who just got knocked up after sleeping with some random guy. He told me that he’d say he was the father. And shit, he  _ is  _ the dad, he’s the one getting up and helping me with her. It doesn’t matter. I told him he could back out, like, three different times. He never would. I don’t think…” Her eyes flick up, down, and back up to Grizz. “I don’t think he counted on you.” 

“Oh,” Grizz manages. A thousand conversations reframe themselves in his head. He thinks he may pass out. “ _ Oh. _ ” 

“Yeah.  _ Oh. _ ”

“Did he tell you about me?”

“No.”

They’re quiet for a few seconds, standing in the middle of the sidewalk. 

“I’m trying to be mad at him,” Becca says quietly.

“Me too,” Grizz replies. “It isn’t working, is it?” 

“He didn’t want you to feel like you were flaunting your relationship in my face.”

“He didn’t want to give away your secret.”

They stare at each other. Grizz can’t think of anything to say. He needs more sleep. 

Becca chuckles. “It was kinda stupid of him not to realize we’d talk to each other. And of you to think I wouldn’t see you climbing out his window every other morning.”

Grizz shrugs. They walk in silence for a few minutes, looping around the neighborhood until he sees Becca’s house reappear in the distance.

“I have to do the best friend speech,” she says suddenly. “Do you, like, like him, or are you just dicking around? Because I know how some of your friends are.”

“I really haven’t been friends with them for awhile,” he replies. “I don’t agree with anything they’re doing. I’m not in the Guard anymore.” 

“But you aren’t just dicking around, right? Because he’s a serious person, Grizz. Once you’re in his inner circle, you’re there for good.”

“I almost wish I was,” he murmurs. “It would make things easier. I’m, uh… I’m feeling like I should have this conversation with him.”

“This is pre-screening. Think of it as a title run.”

“I’m all in with him. I didn’t think it would happen so fast, but I would do anything for him. I want him to be happy. I want to learn all the sign language I can. And I want  _ all  _ of him, problems and all. I’ll help in any way I can with you, with Eden, with anything.”

“Campbell?” she asks quietly. 

“I’ll deal with Campbell.”

She quirks her lips to the side. “You talk big.”

“I’ll show it, don’t worry.” He scuffs his shoes along the sidewalk. “So,” he starts. “I don’t mean to pry, but if, uh, Sam isn’t the father…”

She grimaces. “I don’t want to tell you.”

“Okay, it’s really no big deal—”

“Because I haven’t told Sam.”

He stops walking. “You haven’t told  _ Sam _ ? I thought you told him everything.”

“I…” She exhales, looking away from him. “No. I haven’t told him. I’m literally the only person who knows. Well, and the biological dad. I’d really like to tell someone.” She sniffles. “But I know it has to be Sam first. I don’t want to put another secret between you two, too.”

“Oh.” Grizz can’t think of anything else to say. “If you need help…”

“Of course. Um, thank you.”

They stop in front of the front door. Belatedly, Grizz realizes he has only entered Becca’s house through the window. “So, uh…”

“Let’s have a chat with him.” 

She unlocks the door and pushes the stroller in; still in the foyer, she hoists Eden into her arms. Grizz follows her to the kitchen. He means to walk right in, but he lingers. Sam’s at the stove, shirtless, cooking eggs. He glances at the timer, then slips on oven mitts and reaches into the oven, pulling out a tray of cinnamon rolls. Grizz smiles to himself. He likes seeing Sam like this. He  _ likes _ the domesticity. He glances to the side. Becca’s smiling, too. Shit, he thinks. They’re both terrible at being mad, especially at Sam. 

Becca circles from a wide angle so she doesn’t startle Sam. “Hey,” she signs. “Your boyfriend and I had a nice walk.” 

Sam whirls on his heel to face Grizz. “You climbed out the window,” he signs.

“Yeah, but she was waiting for me,” Grizz signs in response. 

“We chatted for awhile,” Becca says. “I know that you’re dating him.”

“And I know you aren’t Eden’s biological father,” Grizz adds. 

Sam blinks. “Wow. That’s a lot to take in before breakfast.” His eyes dart between Becca and Grizz. “Are you guys…”

“I’m hungry,” Grizz says. “I think Becca is, too.”

She smiles. “I could eat. The cinnamon rolls look really good.” 

Sam exhales and nods gratefully. Becca sits at the kitchen table with Eden while Grizz helps Sam plate the food. The three of them sit down together. There’s still a suspicious gleam in Becca’s eyes and the cinnamon rolls are burned around the edges, but the breakfast is good. 

“You should stay for lunch,” Becca says.

“And if you’re staying for lunch, might as well stay for dinner,” Sam signs. 

Warmth blooms in Grizz’s chest. “Yeah,” he says. “Yeah, for sure.”

#

Dinner turns into spending the night, which turns into breakfast and lunch and dinner, which turns into bringing over a duffel bag of stuff and staying for six more nights. It’s easier with Becca knowing. Grizz likes her, and he likes Eden. He especially liked Sam’s expression when he came into the living room and found Grizz holding Eden—he liked the results, too. 

On the seventh night, Grizz sits with Becca and Sam in the living room. Becca has a box set of  _ The Office _ , and they’re well into season six. Becca sits in the recliner, Eden on one knee and a bowl of popcorn nestled by her hip; Sam’s head rests on Grizz’s lap, turned so he can read the captions as they flash across the screen. Grizz cards his fingers through Sam’s hair. 

Then, a knock comes at the front door. 

Sam tenses and sits up. “Expecting anyone?” he signs. Grizz shakes his head, as does Becca. Sam groans and stands up, moving toward the front of the house. Becca pauses the show. Grizz cocks his head, listening. The front door creaks open, but nothing else. 

“I’m gonna check on him,” Grizz says.

Becca nods tightly. “Do that.” 

Grizz creeps toward the front door, heart beating fast. Something feels wrong, it’s—

“What?” a voice says. “I can’t pay my little brother a visit? I want to see my niece.” 

Campbell leans on the doorframe, one foot inside the house and a shitty grin on his face. Sam clenches his fists, his jaw set. Grizz’s stomach turns. There’s a bulge on Campbell’s hip. A gun. He’s carrying a fucking gun. 

“Get out,” Sam signs. 

Campbell steps inside. “I really do just want to see the baby. Does she have your eyes?” He takes off his coat, still smiling at Sam. “You know, I’m surprised you could keep it up long enough to make a baby. Did you cry when you fucked Becca? Did  _ she  _ cry?”

“I don’t want you in this house,” Sam says aloud. “Leave.”

“Yeah, make me. I think I want a drink.” He moves toward the kitchen, but Sam steps in front of him. “Oh, so you’ve grown a set.” 

“Get out of my house.” 

Campbell scoffs. In one fluid motion, he wraps his hand around Sam’s throat and shoves him against the wall. Sam closes his eyes, a tear trickling down his cheek, and Campbell digs his fingers deeper into the sensitive skin. Sam makes a small noise of protest. 

Grizz has seen enough. 

He grabs Campbell by his collar and wrenches him away Sam. He wants to punch Campbell. He’s never punched anyone before, not even the jackass that nearly broke Luke’s elbow during a dirty tackle. Now, he thinks, would be a great time to start punching people. 

“Visser,” Campbell says mildly. He looks between Sam and Grizz, a smile spreading across his lips. “Wow.”

“He told you to get out,” Grizz says. 

“Okay.” Campbell holds up his hands in an  _ I surrender  _ motion. “Okay, I’ll leave.” He steps toward Sam, whose back is still pressed against the wall. 

Grizz steps between them, drawing himself to his full height. He  _ towers  _ over Campbell. Usually, he doesn’t like feeling as tall and as big as he is off the football field, but he sure as hell likes the frustrated glint in Campbell’s eyes. 

“I’ll be back to see her, Sam,” Campbell says.

“Nope. Don’t talk to him,” Grizz says. He turns slightly so he can sign, “Stay back.”

Out of view from Sam, Campbell slips his hand into his waistband and grabs the gun. He jams the barrel into Grizz’s stomach. Grizz doesn’t allow himself to flinch, even as Campbell smiles and digs the gun in deeper. His finger hovers over the trigger. The safety is off. 

“It would be so easy,” Campbell whispers, barely moving his lips. “One bullet, and you wouldn’t be a problem. I don’t like when people get in my way.”

“Then why don’t you do it?” Grizz says. He won’t beg. He won’t plead. He’ll just… hope that Sam stays behind him while he (hopefully) defuses the situation. 

“I will, one day. Not today, I don’t think.” He cocks his head to the side. “Yeah, not today. You’re still useful. Sometime soon, though, I’ll have to get rid of you.” 

Grizz’s breath hitches. Campbell’s voice is completely sincere, completely practical, like he was announcing that he’d have to go grocery shopping, but he puts the gun away. He leans around Grizz to sign something at Sam, then walks out with a swagger in his step. Grizz stares at the closed door, hands shaking, until he hears Sam make a small, pained noise. He turns and pulls Sam into his arms, holding him to his chest. Sam trembles. Grizz brings a hand to the back of his head, trying to press their bodies as close as possible. Over Sam’s shoulder, he sees Becca approaching, Eden cradled tightly to her chest. 

Something… something is wrong. 

Tears shine in her eyes, and she isn’t holding Eden like normal. She’s holding Eden like someone could rip her from her arms at any moment and watching the doorway. Like she’s afraid Campbell will come back. Like she’s afraid he’ll…

_ Oh _ , Grizz thinks.

He doesn’t want to realize this, but it’s the type of thing you can’t unthink. He stares at Becca, before tipping his head at the door, then Eden. She swallows hard, then nods once. 

Sam pulls away from Grizz, eyes traveling up and down his body. “You okay?” he signs. 

Grizz nods, even though he’s about as far from okay as one can be. “Your neck,” he signs, and brushes his fingers against the red marks on Sam’s throat. 

Sam shakes his head. “I’m used to…” he starts, then stops abruptly, flushed red. He looks to Becca. “We have to keep her away from him,” he signs. “More than ever. We have to watch the house, too. Do you think we could get new locks?”

“Yeah,” Becca signs. “For sure.”

“Then we need to—”

“Not tonight,” Becca says. “First thing tomorrow, I promise, but I’m fucking exhausted, and you two dealt with  _ him _ , and—”

“Are you insane? He could get  _ inside _ tonight.”

Becca glances to Grizz. He feels an understanding pass between them.

“I’ll be on alert,” Grizz says. “I’ll make sure he won’t get in. Why don’t we finish a few more episodes?”

Sam doesn’t look happy about it, but he nods. None of them speak as they settle in again, Sam sitting so that he doesn’t touch Grizz. Becca’s gaze is distracted. 

“There’s been a murder!” Jim says onscreen in a bad southern accent. Grizz flinches. He hates Campbell for a lot of reasons, but ruining  _ The Office  _ nears the top. 

Something has definitely changed between the three of them. A grim sense of poetry exists in that, Grizz thinks. Nothing like a common enemy to erase secrets. His heart won’t stop pounding. Sam isn’t touching him. Becca is frowning. 

He really, really hates Campbell. 

They only watch one more episode, then Becca says she’s putting Eden to bed. “You’re definitely staying tonight,” she says to Grizz before leaving. 

“Bed?” Grizz signs. 

Sam nods. They walk to the bedroom, not looking at each other. Sam closes the door behind them and sits cross-legged on the bed. Grizz shrugs off his shirt, then sits next to him. 

“Talk to me,” he says. 

“I thought I’d done a good job of separating my life from his,” Sam signs. His lower lip trembles, and it’s the worst thing Grizz has ever seen. “I know Elle hasn’t been with him, so he’s looking for a new target. I’m not stupid. I know he pulled a gun on you. I don’t know what he said because  _ you _ kept moving to block me.”

“Oh, so blame me.”

Sam does not laugh. 

“Look,” Grizz says quietly, move to sit in front of him.  _ I’ll have to get rid of you _ . He pushes the memory away. “I’m scared, but mostly, I’m  _ mad.  _ Why does he have the right to make us scared? To make Becca scared? He’s smart, but we’ll be careful. We’re gonna find out where Allie and Will are soon, and things will be okay.”

Sam frowns. “Things won’t—”

“You may not trust them, but you trust me, right? You trust me? I’m telling you that things will be okay, and we’ll all come out of this okay.” He smiles. “Okay?”

There’s a beat. Then, Sam’s lips are on his. Grizz brings his hands to the sides of Sam’s face and deepens the kiss, letting Sam push him onto his back. Sam runs his hands over Grizz’s chest, and when he pulls his lips away, Grizz takes the opportunity to kiss the hollow of Sam’s throat. Once. Twice. Again. 

“It’ll be okay,” he signs when Sam gazes down at him, eyes wide with wonder. “I promise.”

For a moment, he almost believes it. 

**Author's Note:**

> So who's super excited about Season 2??? If you're as excited as I am, come chat with me on tumblr (@such-geekiness)!!


End file.
